Professional Counseling
As a Licensed Professional Counselor, I meet with kids, adults, couples, and families in Missouri to help them accomplish mental health, relationship, wellness, and career goals.
To do this, I draw from many therapeutic approaches including Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), the Immanuel Approach, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), the Gottman Method for couples and the Emotionally Focused Approach for Couples Therapy (EFCT), and many others.
For me, it’s all about mixing-and-matching counseling approaches to best meet the goals of my clients.
I would describe myself as a generalist. Which means that I can help most people, with most of the counseling goals that they have. But over the years I have developed a few extra end specialties. They are Integrated Christian Counseling, counseling for Severe Trauma, and counseling for Helping Professionals.
If you would like a free 15-minute phone call to see if my Licensed Professional Counseling services are a good fit for you, click the button below.
Integrated Christian Counseling
Because of my theological training and ministry experience, I am able to offer Counseling keyed to folks who have issues and questions connected to Christian spirituality. My values for Integrated Christian Counseling are to provide help that is: 1) Scientifically-Informed, 2) Biblically-Faithful, 3) Spirit-Empowered, and 4) Church-Loving.
Let me explain what I mean by each of these values.
1) Scientifically Informed Christian Counseling means that I provide help that is informed by the scientific observation of the Father's good created order. I value research and provide counseling based on evidenced based best practices. I think counseling is best conducted while learning from those who have come before us, as they made careful and studied observations.
2) Biblically Faithful Christian Counseling means that I believe that the Scriptures are the ultimate authority for how humans can best conduct their lives. As such, my Integrated Christian Counseling is in line with the full council of the Word of God. One of my rules is that if Christians have not believed it for 2000 years, I should not cling to it too tightly.
3) Spirit Empowered Christian Counseling means that I believe we live in a supernatural world. In my Integrated Christian Counseling, I try to make room for God to do unexpected intervention of God's Spirit in the room. I rely on His leading, and I am confident that God is the Great Physician, and he can help supernaturally, beyond my ability.
4) Church Loving Christian Counseling means that the Big-C-Church, all over the world, and regardless of denominational affiliation, is the most important thing on earth to God, and He designed his Church to be the primary means of transformation for his children. As such, my Integrated Christian Counseling acknowledges that even if the Church is flawed, and can be a great source of pain for people, it is also our best hope for change. I believe that God's Church has many gifts and resources, and transformation happens best when clients can utilize these resources in a wise and strategic way.
Counseling for Helping Professionals
Helping professionals such as Church leaders, first responders, medical professionals, and other counselors is one of my passions. We give our all to help other people, but we find it hard to take care of ourselves and trust other healers when we need some support. As a helping professional myself, I get that! Over the years many helping professionals have found me to be a safe harbor to unload their own burdens and get help for the burdens that they have carried for other people.
Severe Trauma
I have spent years helping people who have experienced the most horrible things imaginable. Here is what I have learned: there is always hope for healing, even for the most awful experiences. It has been a long time since I have been surprised, or shocked, by anything a client has told me. There is hope for you, even if you have experienced the deepest darkness, and think that no one can understand. I may not have experienced what you did, but I have my own hurts, and I have walked with people through very hard things. There is hope, and there is healing. I’d be honored to walk with you through your story. And, I think that there is hope and healing available for you.
What if you are not a Christian?
I am, but I can still see you as a Licensed Professional Counselor. My personal faith is like a lens that I see the whole world through, including counseling. I can’t help it. However, I can include Christian concepts as much, or as little, as you want in counseling. I am committed to not imposing my beliefs on you. Either way, I'd be happy to explore this with you in a free 15-minute phone call.